Internalized Homophobia and Relationship Quality among Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals

By D. Frost, I. Meyer. Journal of counseling and psychology, 2009

758 citations recorded by the source corpus.

We examined the associations between internalized homophobia, outness, community connectedness, depressive symptoms, and relationship quality among a diverse community sample of 396 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Structural equation models showed that internalized homophobia was associated with greater relationship problems both generally and among coupled participants independent of outness and community connectedness. Depressive symptoms mediated the association between internalized homophobia and relationship problems. This study improves current understandings of the association between internalized homophobia and relationship quality by distinguishing between the effects of the core construct of internalized homophobia and its correlates and outcomes. The findings are useful for counselors interested in interventions and treatment approaches to help LGB individuals cope with internalized homophobia and relationship problems.

Subfields: Reproductive Medicine, Social Psychology, Sociology and Political Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/4f8f0aec7eb0fc534554e0cb4f804e0b0dc80d9d

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Citations in the corpus

A Multifactor Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Positive Identity Measure (LGB-PIM) (2014, neutral): “For example, past studies have used measures of disclosure (outness) as a possible explanatory factor for both well-being and distress (e.g., Feldman & Wright, 2013; Frost & Meyer, 2009).”
Counseling Psychology Research on Sexual (Orientation) Minority Issues: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges and Opportunities (2009, background): “Frost and Meyer (2009, this issue) argued for the importance of conceptual clarity when investigating internalized heterosexism and, in particular, for defining the construct as application of anti-LGB attitudes to the self.”
Social stigma and its consequences for the socially stigmatized. (2011, background): “These proximal sources of stigma-related stress still stem from the prevailing culture of social stigma, and should not be reduced to personality traits or internally generated processes (Frost & Meyer, 2009; Russell & Bohan, 2006).”
Minority stress and physical health among sexual minority individuals (2013, methodology): “The current study included a modified version (presented in Frost & Meyer, 2009) that assessed how often participants have ‘‘wished you weren’t gay,’’ ‘‘felt alienated from yourself because of being gay,’’ and ‘‘felt that being gay is a personal shortcoming.’’”
Exploring Sexual Minority Women’s Experiences of External and Internalized Heterosexism and Sexism and their Links to Coping and Distress (2014, methodology): “Validity of scores was supported by correlating the Internalized Homophobia Scale with other internalized heterosexism scales, measures assessing selfesteem, depression, connection with and feelings toward the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community, degree of outness, and perceived stigma related to b”
Mental Health of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth and Young Adults: Differential Effects of Age, Gender, Religiosity, and Sexual Orientation (2012, background): “, Green, 2000). Weston (1991) has even gone as far as to contend that LGBs create a “family of choice” consisting of close and supportive friends.”
The Impact of Minority Stress on Mental Health and Substance Use Among Sexual Minority Women (2011, background): “The measure has good face validity, construct validity, and internal consistency (Frost & Meyer, 2009).”
A Framework for Incorporating Minority Stress Theory into Treatment with Sexual Minority Clients (2014, background): “Some LGB people may decide not to reveal their sexual orientation in certain situations, even if they completely accept their LGB identity, indicating that outness may be influenced by situational and environmental circumstances rather than internal conflict (Frost & Meyer, 2009).”
Minority Stress and Psychological Distress Among Asian American Sexual Minority Persons 1Ψ7 (2010, result): “In contrast to these findings, Frost and Meyer (2009) found no unique links between outness and depressive symptoms and relationship problems among 396 LGBTQ persons. Clearly, more research examining the relationship between outness and mental health is needed. Although Meyer’s (2003) Minority Stres”
Internalized Stigma Among Sexual Minority Adults: Insights From a Social Psychological Perspective (2009, background): “…homophobia” and related constructs have reflected differing assumptions about exactly which phenomena should be considered direct manifestations of sexual self-stigma and which should be regarded as its antecedents, correlates, or consequences (e.g., Frost & Meyer, 2009; Shidlo, 1994).”
Internalized Stigma Within Sexual and Gender Minorities: Change Strategies and Clinical Implications (2015, background): “Also, in a racially diverse sample of lesbians, gay men, and bisexual men and women, Frost and Meyer (2009) found that individuals with higher levels of internalized heterosexism had higher levels of relationship problems, mediated by depression symptoms.”
Narrative, Identity, and the Politics of Exclusion: Social Change and the Gay and Lesbian Life Course (2011, background): “While there is still much stigma and discrimination that both young people and adults expressing same-sex attraction experience (e.g., Frost and Bastone 2008; Frost and Meyer 2009; Meyer 2003), a combination of state and”
Intimate Justice: A Critical Analysis of Sexual Satisfaction (2010, background): “For example, the minority stress model links sexual inequality (and related experiences of discrimination, stigma, and rejection) with decreased well-being, frequently observed through increased rates of depression (Frost & Meyer, 2009; Meyer, 2003).”
LGBT Aging: A Review of Research Findings, Needs, and Policy Implications (2016, background): “…internalized homophobia disturbs the gay person’s ability to overcome stigmatized notions of the self and envision a future life course, it is associated with mental health problems and impedes success in achieving intimate relationships (Meyer, 1995; Meyer & Dean, 1998; 15 Frost & Meyer, 2009).”